Go confidently in the direction of your career dreams!

I work with job seekers on a set three month Career Program which keeps my clients focussed, on track, motivated and equipped with the skills to find their ideal role sooner rather than later. I’ve been asked, ‘What if I find a job before our program ends – say two months into the program?’ To which I reply, ‘Not only is that a fantastic outcome, but our career coaching doesn’t stop when you get a job!’ Here’s some food for thought about integrating into your new role and future proofing your career with continued growth and development.

So…you’ve nailed the application, interview and job offer and now you’re about to embark on your first day. Like joining anything for the first time (school, dance class, book club) this is a time when first impressions count. Consider how you present yourself and what approach you’ll take as you meet your work colleagues. TV personality Julia Zemiro once gave a first day tip with, ‘High energy. Low maintenance!’

When getting to know your new co-workers be mindful they are busy with their work so be patient – book some time with them to gain an understanding of their role. Be open and willing to get started, learn as much as you can – pay attention, listen and take notes.

Julia Zemiro at Ulumbarra Theatre, 07/2017

Schedule time with your new manager to discuss and define goals and expectations of your new job and remember to ask questions to clarify anything you’re unclear about.

Getting to understand the environment or organisational culture is key to how you:

communicate;

get along with others; and

manage your work.

Find this out by considering the following.

Learn the various modes of communication within the organisation. Does everyone communicate via e-mails or verbally or have meetings.

What form of communication does your supervisor prefer?

Evaluate the personalities of those with whom you work. Discover how they work together.

Make your best attempt to understand the organisation well in terms of capabilities, finance, budgeting, existing strategies and priorities.

Know the vision, mission, and values of the company.

You can consciously manage your professional development and career growth by adopting some (or all) of these guidelines:

Establish goals for your new position. Map out expectations of the first ninety days, six months, and first year.

Draw on your past experiences, look at your successes to help plan for your future.

Discover obstacles in your way and come up with an action plan to overcome and tackle those obstacles.

Always be prepared for changes within the industry and train yourself for your next position.

Develop relationships with other supervisors or executive besides your direct boss or manager.

Achieve results that are important to your company and ensure that the accomplishments are known to key decision makers.

Manage your time as well as you can. If you do not seem to accomplish what you believe you should, think outside the square for workable solutions.

If you’ve landed a role that sees you stepping up in a reputable organisation with higher responsibilities it makes sense to put some thought into leveraging your strengths to make the most of this new venture.

I recently said to my partner, “Oh I’ve picked up some work on a factory closure that starts next week”. He replied, “What a shame for the workers!” He’s absolutely right. He went straight to the heart of the situation – the emotions the staff members will experience when facing the prospect of finding a new job.

As a Career Coach, my role is to soften the blow for the people affected by organisational restructures by guiding workers to think about what’s next, get their resume updated, build their interview skills and their confidence throughout the redundancy process. Continue reading →

If you’re in the job hunting game but have been taking a laissez-faire approach and delaying the inevitable, it might be time to re-group and take a more structured approach to your search. Here’s five tips to get you back on track. Continue reading →

When was the last time you dusted off your resume? I’m guessing when you last applied for a job. It’s true for me too. I coach people in developing a marketable resume and when I last looked at mine I was a bit embarrassed!

The approach I take when helping people strengthen their resume is to focus on layout and then the content. In this post I’m going to list ways to improve the readability of your resume through some formatting suggestions: Continue reading →

Many of my clients are people who are mid-way through their career and looking at a change in direction, but from time to time I help people just starting out in the world of work. I have provided coaching and resume support to high school students who are making decisions about their future and on the hunt for a part time job.

If you’re a teenage job seeker, here’s some things to help put your best foot forward when finding work. Continue reading →

Networking is a healthy life skill that’s not just for people in management roles. It’s for everyone. When I speak with people about networking, some shy away from the concept as it’s seemingly daunting. Comments such as, ‘Nothing could be worse than going to an event and having to make small talk with people.’ I’ll pop some resources at the end of this post with useful networking information for people who feel this way or are more introverted. Continue reading →

My partner recently mentioned to me that I have a strong work ethic. His words got me thinking about what this really means. I didn’t doubt his sentiment as I feel I’ve always been a dedicated and hard worker but I wondered if he meant to say I was self-motivated. So what’s the difference? Continue reading →

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Contact Genevieve

gen@thegoodlifecareers.com.au

Genevieve Ward is a Career Coach who is passionate about helping people manage change and develop their job search skills. She provides inspirational and quality coaching to people seeking a fulfilling career that complements their lifestyle.